I love nothing more than riffling through other people’s old stuff. I can’t decide whether it is because I’m nosy or that I’m just a treasure hunter that loves a good bargain. I have always loved shopping but second-hand shopping has another layer of reward to it.
We would all love to see our money go further and with second-hand shopping you can do exactly that. There is also the added benefit of reducing the amount of items that end up in landfill. Just because something is not useful to you doesn’t mean it isn’t to another person.
Over the years I have become pretty good at it. I’ve that I have then sold on to make the money back and I have developed an eye for items that are worth far more than they are being sold for like a £3 watch I got at a car boot sale that I found online for £90.
READ MORE: I spent £17.50 at a car boot sale and walked away with one item worth £90
READ MORE: ‘I went on the huge pirate-looking ship docked in Cardiff Bay and it’s like going back in time’
Car boot sales and charity shops are hit and miss and it really is an exercise of going regularly until you find what you are after. But this one Welsh market that I have been going to for years has never failed to deliver some absolute gems.
Carew Market is based at an airfield and holds a car boot sale and indoor market every Sunday “whatever the weather“. It is also open on bank holiday Mondays and these tend to be bigger than the usual Sunday market. It is around 10 minutes outside of Tenby located off the A477 roundabout.
It opens at 8am, entry is free, and there is plenty of free parking available too. While the car boot sale is great and always has a wide variety of sellers my favourite part is the indoor market. The warehouse is absolutely full to the brim with what I understand to be house-clearance items. There are rows and rows of tables full of everything you can possibly imagine.
I got there last Sunday at about 9.30am – a little later than I would have liked but we had to take a detour for cash as it’s cash-only payments throughout – we headed straight inside. My husband is on the lookout for a rare century-old watch so wanted to check out the cases of rare memorabilia like vintage watches and war medals they have inside.
By this point it was pretty busy but there was still plenty of room to wander about. It can get quite tricky in the high summer and it is a little difficult to manoeuvre with a wheelchair or pram so you should be prepared for that if you visit.
The beauty of this place is that it is not curated. Nowadays it’s pretty hard to find an antique store that is just packed full of old things to have a rummage through. Most stores have carefully selected pieces that are often priced higher so the dealer can make a profit.
There is a section of items which are a little bit more curated and likely rare with higher worth but for the most part the indoor market is a bit of a jumble sale and that is exactly why I love it. The first few rows are the best with plates, bowls, and mugs piled high and pots and pans dotted around the place. Get the best user experience with WalesOnline’s Premium app on Apple or Android.
Some of the standout items that I spotted on Sunday included a basket full of vintage beer mats from around the world – clearly once someone’s personal collection. I thought they would make an amazing piece of artwork in the hands of someone crafty which could make a great display in a pub.
I also spotted a load of old Blue Peter books – great nostalgia for someone to flick through and once again offering up the opportunity for some art. Artwork is another thing they have in abundance with stacks of old vintage frames that could be repurposed or simply cleaned up and hung for a great gallery wall.
Under the rows of tables you’ll find more boxes of trinkets. One section is full of vintage tins – I spotted an old Quality Street one, which was huge compared to the ones on offering today. They would make a wonderful addition to a bookshelf to add some character to your home.
There was also a tonne of brass candlesticks, ornate and decorative vases, and ornaments. There was a table full of old bedding and pillow cases, great for sewing projects, and a bookcase full of old glass bottles which make interesting candlestick holders.
Baskets are another item they have in abundance here. I purchased a basket bag here last summer – it is one of my favourite ever finds and I’m always questioned about where it is from. In my most recent visit I picked up a pizza plate, an egg cup, a plant pot, a magazine rack, and two blankets which were 100% cotton. It came to a total of £27 – probably what one of the blankets would cost brand new alone.
As you stroll around the market you’ll find that none of the items have prices on. You can either pick things up as you go then ask at the end how much for them all, with the stall holder pulling a price off the top of their head based on what you’re showing them, or just ask as you go along.
But the market isn’t just home to knick-knacks and trinkets – there is also a huge area cornered off with more specialist antiques and large pieces of furniture. The stallholder has a clear knowledge of antiques but prices aren’t as inflated as they can get elsewhere.
So if you are heading on holiday to west Wales this year and you fancy a slow morning stroll around a car boot sale followed by a rummage among an endless amount of bric-a-brac make sure to add Carew Market to your list of places to check out.